BLM Increases Oil and Gas Processing Fee (11/06/09)

On November 2, the Bureau of Land Management began charging a $6,500 processing fee for each new oil and gas Application for Permit to Drill (APD), as directed by the 2010 Interior Appropriation bill enacted Oct. 30, 2009. The previous fee was $4,000 per APD.

The BLM manages 253 million acres – more land than any other federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including 75 million acres in Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM’s multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.